02.03.2026 22:06
Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who decided to open British bases in the Greek Cypriot Administration for "defensive" airstrikes against Iran, stepped back after Tehran targeted those bases. Starmer stated that his country would not participate in the attacks by the US and Israel, noting that the bases were not being used by US bombers.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer answered questions from Members of Parliament regarding developments in the Middle East.
"THE UK WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ATTACKS BY THE US AND ISRAEL"
Starmer stated that the UK has not participated in airstrikes conducted by Israel and the US in line with its decision, saying: "We believe that an agreement reached through negotiation, in which Iran abandons its desire to develop nuclear weapons and ceases destabilizing actions in the region, is the best for the region. This has been the position of all British governments for a long time. (US President Donald) Trump did not agree with my decision not to participate in airstrikes. My duty is to assess Britain's national interests. I have done that and I stand by my decision."
Starmer emphasized that the threat from Iran to the UK and its allies cannot be ignored, noting that Gulf countries that do not attack Iran have been targeted with thousands of drones and missiles.
"OUR BASES IN CYPRUS WERE NOT USED BY US BOMBER AIRCRAFT"
Starmer assessed Hezbollah's attack on Israel from Lebanon as a step to escalate tensions, stating, "Iran's actions also pose a risk to our armed forces. On Saturday, a military base in Bahrain, where 300 British personnel are located, was hit. Some were hundreds of meters away."
Starmer also referred to the targeting of the British base Akrotiri in the Republic of Cyprus, saying, "It is very important for me to state that our bases in Cyprus were not used by US bomber aircraft. The security of our friends and allies in Cyprus is also critically important to us. I must clearly state that the attack on the Royal Air Force base Akrotiri in Cyprus was not a response to a decision we made. Our assessments show that the drone in question took off before our statements."
"I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A REGIME CHANGE FROM THE AIR"
Starmer emphasized that the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will not stop Iran, stating, "In fact, their approaches towards civilians are becoming more reckless and dangerous. They are not only deliberately targeting our military presence, but they are also working on economic targets in the region."
Starmer noted that the UK must respond to this, stating that British jets in the region have taken off for defensive purposes.
In this context, Starmer mentioned that Iranian missiles and drones targeting a base in Iraq where British personnel are located were intercepted, saying, "The only way to stop the Iranian threat is to destroy the missiles at their source, in their depot, or on the launch pad. The US wanted to use British bases in line with our limited defensive purpose. With the decision we made yesterday, we accepted this request to intercept Iranian rockets targeting regional countries that are not parties to this conflict."
Starmer, stating, "We all remember the mistakes in Iraq, we all learned lessons," also answered questions from MPs. Responding to a question about the possibility of regime change in Iran, Starmer stated, "Our government does not believe that regime change will come from the air."
YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED THAT IT OPENED BASES IN THE GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION TO THE US
On the other hand, Starmer stated in a statement yesterday that the US requested permission to use UK bases in the Greek Cypriot Administration to conduct limited and defensive strikes against the depots and launch pads of missiles fired at Iran, and that the government approved this request. He emphasized that this step was necessary to reduce the risk of Iranian attacks in the region and to protect allies.